As a part of celebrations to mark 250 years of American independence, next year, the White House will host a UFC bout, US President Donald Trump announced at a rally in Iowa on Thursday. “Every one of our national park battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of ‘America250’ and I even think we’re going to have a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fight,” Trump said on the eve of the Fourth July holiday.
He said the event will boast an audience of 20,000-25,000. “It’s going to be a championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 to 25,000 people and we’re going to do that as part of ‘250’ also,” he said.
Trump, being a friend of Dana White, the UFC president, said, “We are going to have some incredible events, some professional events, some amateur events.” His links to the UFC dates back to 2001, when the Trump Taj Mahal, which is now closed, used to host UFC.
Addressing the crowd at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Trump said, “Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We’re going to have a UFC fight. We’re going to have a UFC fight – think of this – on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.”
During Trump’s presidential bid in 2016, White had endorsed him, calling him a “fighter” and after the assassination attempt on him, described him as a “tough guy” and “the legitimate, ultimate, American badass of all time”.
There will also be “the great American State Fair” among other celebrations, that will “bring America250 programming for fairgrounds across the country, culminating in a giant patriotic festival next summer on the National Mall, featuring exhibits from all 50 states,” per Trump.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary said Trump is “dead serious” about the UFC fight plans, according to a White House pool report. Leavitt had also confirmed the plans on X, writing: “It’s going to be EPIC!”
According to a Truth Social post, Trump also plans to hold a “Signing Celebration” at the White House on Friday, the day he signs his One Big Beautiful Bill into law.